Assignment or Reality
by StrictlyDramione
Summary: Hermione and Draco are paired together to recite a retelling of a famous scene from Romeo and Juliet. But will they forget that they're not always acting?
1. Chapter 1

"Now, I will be partnering each of you up in a boy/girl pair for this project," Professor Binns said lazily from the head of the classroom. "You're assignment is to recite part of the play _Romeo and Juliet _in front of the entire class in remembrance of the great wizard William Shakespeare who's birthday is coming up. Now, I have the list of pairs here. Let's see…"

"Well, at least neither one of us can get Malfoy," Ron muttered to Harry and Hermione.

Harry nodded while Hermione shot him a look. "Yeah, good for you," she grumbled. Harry rubbed her back warmly.

"Don't worry, Mione," he assured her. "I'm sure Binns won't partner his star pupil with—"

"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy," Binns said from the front of the room.

Hermione pinched Harry. "You were saying," she said through clenched teeth.

From across the room, Malfoy moaned and raised his hand. "Professor, why must you stick me with that?" He jabbed his finger in her direction.

Binns rolled his eyes, probably the most you'll ever see him do. "Mr. Malfoy, class is almost over. Please, keep your remarks to yourself until I am finished."

"But why?" he practically whined.

The professor sighed. "Because, young man, you and Miss Granger are my brightest students. Pairing you together seemed fit."

"Malfoy? Smart?" Hermione said. "Are you sure your grade book is right, sir?" She heard Harry and Ron stifle gasps beside her.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, I think you two shall learn to get along this evening…in detention. Be here at eight o'clock and bring your books. You will start your project tonight. Now, moving on…"

Hermione shot Malfoy a look of hatred which he sneered at before turning back to her friends. She paused when they gaped at her. "What?" she asked testily.

"I…I think that's the first time you've ever gotten detention without our help," Harry said.

She shrugged. "I might not like it but I also don't like failing. At least—for one night—we'll _have _to work on the project."

Ron shook his head. "You're the only person in this school that can find the good in detention, you know that?"

She smiled. "Thanks, Ron."

"Harry Potter and Padma Patil," Binns was saying. Padma shot Harry a flirty look and waved. He gave her a weak wave back. "Ronald Weasley and Susan Bones, Vincent Crabbe and Lavender Brown…" The list continued until class ended. To Hermione's shock, Malfoy actually did go up to Binns afterward and ask him again why he was partnered with her. All he got, however, was a firm lecture and another night of detention. She heard him muttering about dead teachers as he brushed past her.

"Well, tonight is going to be very interesting, don't you think guys?" she said to Harry and Ron as they headed to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Yep," Harry said as Ron nodded.

They walked into the Hall together and sat with Ron's sister Ginny who'd been waiting for Hermione. "Mione!" she exclaimed the second she sat down. "Guess what?"

Hermione laughed. "Gin, you know all my guesses are lame. What is it?"

"I have a date!" she cried happily, clapping her hands.

Ron blanched, his first forkful of food halfway to his mouth. "With who?!" he yelled, causing wuite a few heads to turn.

"Keep it down over there, Weasel!" Malfoy called back. "Some of us want to be able to swallow without having to look at you!"

"Shove off!" Harry yelled back as Ron's ears turned pink.

Malfoy smirked and went back to his meal. Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother. "Lower your voice," she hissed before turning back to Hermione. "It's Blaise," she told her.

Harry and Ron's mouths dropped open and Hermione and Ginny squealed. "Ginny, that's great!" Hermione said. "At least you picked the not-as-bad-as-the-rest Slytherin," she said.

"But still a Slytherin!" Ron said angrily.

"Oh, be quiet," Ginny shushed him.

"I will not!" Ron told her.

Hermione tossed a roll at him. "Eat," she ordered before turning back to his sister. "How did it happen?" she asked eagerly.

"Well, we were in Astronomy together and he came up and asked to be my partner and then he just kinda asked me out on the next Hogsmeade trip."

"Ginny, that's great!"

"And this weekend! Oh, I wonder what Malfoy's going to say," she wondered evilly.

"Well I'd trade you my detention for your date any day," Hermione told her, heaping som of the food onto her plate.

"_You_ got detention?" Ginny said incredulous.

She nodded. "Because Malfoy was insulting me to the teacher and I retaliated. He got in trouble too and since Binns partnered us for a project, he's forcing us to do our project in detention."

"Oh, poor Mione," Ginny said patting her hand.

"Poor Mione? Poor me. _I'm_ the one stuck with the Mudblood for two hours."

Hermione and Ginny turned to find Malfoy standing behind them with Blaise and Pansy on either side.

"Just think of the contamination," he went on.

"Oh, I am," Hermione assured him. "I know how much dirt comes along with being in the prescence of a Slytherin."

"How dare you say that to me!" he yelled.

Hermione just rolled her eyes.

"What, couldn't think of anything better to say?" Pansy said.

"What, couldn't think of anyone better for company?" Harry retorted in Hermione's defense.

Pansy just "hmped" and walked away, Malfoy and Blaise following but not before the former shot them all his famous sneer.

Hermione dropped her chin on her hand and tried to hold back her tears.

"Hey, what's wrong, Mione?" Ginny asked. "You handled that well. We're rubbing off on you," she added teasingly.

Hermione smiled a bit. "I'm just so tired of them calling me a Mudblood," she said, her eyes shining now.

Harry reached over and patted her hand. "Don't worry. They'll get what's coming to them one of these days."

"Is that a promise?"

Harry and Ron exchanging grins. "Definitely," they chorused.

Hermione wiped away her unshed tears. "Good. Thanks, guys."

"We live to serve," Ginny quipped. "Now, eat up. We have two more classes and then—"

"Detention," Hermione finished.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione miserably walked toward Binns classroom a few hours later, the clock slowly drawing closer to eight. She was dreading going now, ever since what had happened in the Great Hall. At first, she'd thought being stuck together would be perfect for working on the project, but now she wasn't so sure. Malfoy would probably spend the entire time calling her a Mudblood and most likely wouldn't go near her no matter what the scene from the play was.

She paused right outside the door, unsure of whether to enter or run the other way. But after all the things she'd been through with Harry, running seemed even more weak of her than crying at the names Malfoy called her. Slowly, she raised her hand and knocked twice. Binns called for her to enter and she obliged, the clock in his room chiming the hour just as she did.

"Ah, right on time, Miss Granger. Please have a seat beside Mr. Malfoy," he motioned to the long table right in front of them and Hermione saw Malfoy was already there and looked like he had been for a while. She watched him sigh as she made her way over to him and reluctantly fell into the seat beside him.

"Great," he mumbled only loud enough for her to hear.

"Now, I know you two hardly get along but that is another reason why you were chosen to be a pair. You can't be fighting all of the time and this assignment might be good for the both of you, no matter how much you loathe each other," Binns said floating before them. "After all, if you think about it, your situation is very much like that of Romeo and Juliet."

"How do you figure?" Malfoy said. "Professor," he added at the ghost's reprimanding look.

"The ever famous beginning lines," Binns told him. "_Two housholds, both alike in dignity…_" he recited.

"So?" Malfoy said not catching on.

Hermione sighed. "What the Professor mean, Malfoy, is that the play itself is about two people in love cannot be together because of their rivaling houses. Much like our houses, Gryffindor and Slytherin."

"You mean, Slytherin and Gryffindor," he countered.

"Yes, well, whatever the order, Miss Granger has grasped my point," Binns said stopping what was almost another argument.

"Big surprise," Malfoy muttered.

Binns let that slide. "Anyway, seeing as you will be playing Romeo and Miss Granger will be Juliet, it might be good for you both to use your real-life differences to make the scene seem all the more real."

"I don't love her," Malfoy said sharply.

"And I don't love you!" she shot back.

"That is not the point." Binns sighed. "Just…try to do well on this. And the outcome might even surprise the both of you."

"But, Professor," Hermione said. "Malfoy and I can barely get along ujnder normal circumstances. How are we going to be able to draw on our real life differences when all we do is fight and the characters are in love?"

"Might I suggest, spending time together?" Binns said.

"No way!" Malfoy and Hermione said as one.

Binns smiled. "See?" The students rolled their eyes. "Yes, well…alright, then," he said. "You're scene is not to be the traditional balcony scene. You two will be proforming the a part of Scene V, Act I. Not the entire scene, but the portion that involves Romeo and Juliet speaking in private during a Capulet feast."

Hermione blanche and Malfoy remained unfazed. "But...Professor," she said, remembering exactly what happens then from having read the play before. "That's the scene where they kiss!"

Malfoy straightened and nearly fell out of his chair. "What?" he cried. "I can't kiss her!" he shouted at Binns. "She's a Mud—" Binns gave him a look. "—Gryffindor," he finished with less force.

"Exactly my point," the professor said. "Like I told you moments ago, I am hoping this project will do something good for the constant rivalries between you two. Now…" He went back to his desk and picked up two books, handing one to each of them. "Here are your scripts. Page 38 for both of you. You will be in my classroom until nine-thirty and I will be in a meeting with the other Professors. Try not to kill each other and I expect some progress by the time I return." He started for the door and paused. "Oh, and don't forget to plan out your costumes and scenery for your presentation. Have fun!" And he was gone.

Hermione just sat gaping at where he'd disappeared. "I don't think I've ever seen him show quite that much emoion before," she said to no on in particular.

Malfoy scoffed. "I am _not_ kissing you, Granger!" he said forcefully.

"I don't _want_ you to kiss me!" she retorted.

He laughed. "_Every_ girl wants me to kiss them" he said vainly.

"Well, I don't," she told him firmly. "Now, come on." She pulled out some parchment from her bag and a quill.

"For what?" he asked.

"I am not going to rehearse this scene with you right now so we might as well at least get the costumes and such sorted out," she said. "I might hate you but I will not fail because of it."

"I'm still not kissing you," he told her, grudgingly looking over her shoulder at the paper.

"Then we're agreed."

They were both silent a moment as Hermione wrote down a few things to make a list.

As she wrote, Costumes, Malfoy sniggered. "Why don't you leave me on charge of that, granger," he said looking her up at down. "I seem to be the only one that has style."

"And I seem to be the only one who will be able to get us an 'O' on this project," she shot back, a bit surprised with herself for coming up with that so fast.

"Whatever."

He sat back and waited until she finished writing. Finally, she lifted her quill from the parchment and turned to him. "So, what did you have in mind costume-wise?" she asked.

He smirked. "Hogsmeade."

"What?"

"Hogsmeade. They have some decent costumes. Normally, I go to Diagon Alley but for now Hogsmeade will do. There's a trip this weekend. We'll get them there."

"Like I'm going to go shopping with you."

"I shiver at the thought, too, Granger, but since I can't get you to change your normal style, I'm taking this part of the project into my own hands. And if you don't come with me, you'll end up in a clown suit."

Hermione glared at him and momentarily wished looks could kill. "And what will you tell your snaky friends?"

He shrugged. "The truth. I'm trying to do well on the project and I can't have your horrible attire ruin it for me."

"Yeah, well it's a shame there's not a store that can give you an attitude adjustment. Now, _that_ would definitely help our grade."

"Maybe, but then again why would any bloke ever want to fall in love with a Mudblood?"

Hermione stared at him with hurt and angry eyes. Tears welled behind her honey-colored irises, even as she tried to hold them in. She turned away and her hair spilled over her shoulder, and she tried to hide her face with it. She could practically feel him smirking at her.

"Aw, have I gone and made the little lion cry?" he said with false care.

She sniffled and wiped her eyes for the second time that day. "Shut up, Malfoy," she whispered.

He rose and walked around the table, stopping right in front of her. He leaned his elbows on the top and looked down at her, the smirk still firmly in place. "Whatever happened to that Gryffindor bravery you lot are always going on about? You know, able to take whatever's thrown at you. Have you lost that Mudblood? Has the dirt in you veins finally affected you ability to speak?"

Hermione wasn't even thinking properly as her instincts reacted against her will. Her hand shot up and she slapped him in the face. He stumbled back, holding his cheek and looking at her like she'd lost her mind.

The same hand that hit him went to her mouth, as she stared at him in shock of what she had done. She hadn't expected to do that. She'd never hit anyone with the exception of third year. Which was also against him.

He sneered at her. "You like hitting your superiors, don't you?" he said, dropping his hand and nearing her slowly.

Hermione stood and took a step back, even thought the desk was separating them. She didn't know why, but even though he wasn't glaring at her, the look in his eyes still made her blood boil. She took another step away as he started around the desk toward her. She moved to the right, away from him and grabbed her bag, the list for the project forgotten.

He made a sudden lunge for her and she screamed and bolted from the classroom. She flung her bag over her shoulder as she barreled down the hall. Right now, the assignment was the furthest thing from her mind. She chanced a glance back expecting to find him still in the classroom. But no.

He was chasing her.

She squealed in fear. It was getting late and most people were already out of the halls and securely in their common rooms. She wanted so badly to go to her's but if she said the password in his presence, he could get in anytime.

Why, oh why did she have to hit him?

And what was he going to do to her, should he catch her? Would he hit her? Would he hex her or jinx her? Hermione was scared out of her mind as she flew down two staircases and tumbled to her knees at the bottom of the second. She looked behind her again and saw Malfoy still making his way for her, sliding gracefully down the banister. She managed to get to her feet but he reached her before she could move again.

Hermione backed up into the wall and he advanced on her, keeping her firmly against it by putting a hand on either side of her which kept her arms at her sides and her back against the stone. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut fearfully.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Just so you know, I know that Slughorn is Potions master in the sixth book but I'm keeping Snape as Potions master instead. **

"You know, Father's been saying for years that all the Mudbloods in the world should be taught a lesson. He'll be so happy to hear I gave the first lesson to the weak little Gryffindor angel," Malfoy whispered evilly in her ear.

Hermione couldn't stop the shiver running up her spine. She kept her eyes firmly shut so she had no idea what he was doing, though it didn't feel like he was moving yet. But then she heard a sound that nearly made her jump for joy.

"Oi, Malfoy, what the bloody hell do you think you're doing to her?!"

Hermione opened her eyes and was relieved to see Ron and Harry running toward her. Ron's wand was out and pointed at Malfoy while Harry looked like he was about to punch the shit out of the blonde boy. Malfoy just laughed and released her.

"What am I doing to her?" he repeated innocently. "She's the one who hit me. I was merely…teaching her a lesson," he said smugly.

Harry hurried to Hermione and ran into his arms. He wrapped an arm tightly around her shoulders and glared at Malfoy. Ron was already at his side, wand still raised to him. "Touch her again and see what happens," Ron threatened.

"This coming form the Weasel who made himself eat slugs? Oh, I'm quavering in my boots." He sniggered. "Good luck with that. Maybe this time it will be toads." He turned on his heel and headed back up the stairs, pausing at the landing. "By the way, Granger, I'll see you again in detention tomorrow. After we both ran out on tonight's, we're going to be stuck again tomorrow." Malfoy smirked and left them, Hermione shaking in Harry's arms.

Ron turned to her once the Slytherin boy was gone. "You hit him?" he asked.

"Again?" Harry put in, a smile creeping into his face.

"Well, he kept calling me names and joking my blood. I just kind of reacted," she said sheepishly.

"Bravo, Mione!" Ron clapped.

"Yeah, except he scared the crap out of me and tomorrow I'll be stuck with him again!" she cried and tears slid down her face. "Not only that, but Binns assigned us an exact scene to do and now I have to kiss him!"

"Kiss Binns?" Ron said thickly.

"Kiss Malfoy!" Hermione wailed, sobbing into Harry's shoulder.

He rubbed her back comfortingly. "Oh, Mione, I'm sorry. Do you want Ron and me to miss Quidditch practice tomorrow night and stay with you in detention? Under the Cloak, of course."

Hermione actually took a moment to consider this, but Harry was the captain and she knew he couldn't miss practice for her. Not only that, but both boys loved Quidditch. It wouldn't be fair for her to ask that of them. But just to know they were willing to was good enough for her.

"No," she said finally, shaking her head. "I think I'll be okay. And Binns should be there tomorrow," she added, doubting her words as she spoke them. She had no idea where Binns would be tomorrow. But she wanted to set their minds at ease just as they wanted to set her's.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked. "Maybe while his back is turned, I could—" They shot him a look. "—Harry could hit him right between the eyes and turn back into the ferret he is!"

Hermione laughed and her tears dried up a bit. "Great as that sounds, I don't want Harry or you to get in trouble. No, I'll be fine. But thanks, guys."

Ron walked toward her and wrapped his arms around her with Harry on her other side. She hugged them both back, glad to have her friends with her. After a minute, they all pulled apart.

"Come on," she said with a smile. "Why don't we go to the common room and I can "help" you with the Potions homework?"

The boys beamed. "Thank you, Mione," they chorused and the trio headed off back to the common room.

The next day at breakfast, Hermione got a not-so-shocking surprise. Binns came up to her and informed her of her next detention with him and Malfoy, tonight in his classroom, only this time, he would be there watching them rehearse the scene itself.

Hermione was thrilled that Binns would be there but not so thrilled that she would have to pretend to be in love with Malfoy—er, Romeo. She watched Binns float over to the Slytherin table and inform the boy as well and once he was gone, Malfoy shot her a look of loathing and she returned it. He smirked and pointed to the place she'd slapped him yesterday and she colored and looked away.

Hermione left the Great Hall ten minutes later with Harry, Ron and Seamus and they all headed to Potions…with the Slytherins. She saw Malfoy ahead of them with Pansy trying to get his arm around her but all he did was shove her away. Finally, she seemed to annoy him to the point where he snapped his fingers and Crabbe and Goyle came in and picked her up by her arms, carrying her far away from their Slytherin Prince.

Harry shook his head and Seamus held in a laugh. They were all able to walk right into class, Snape having left the door open for once, apparently eager to get them in and then out in two hours time. Harry sat with Hermione and Ron and Seamus went to a desk together. The instructions for the class appeared on the board with a wave of Snape's hand and he addressed the class in five words.

"You have two hours. Begin."

Hermione looked up at the board and saw they were making the Draught of the Living Dead. She set up her scales and cauldron and started with the valerian root. As she set to work, she kept feeling like she was being watched and she actually had to restrain herself from shaking as she cut the root. Harry apparently noticed and shot her a questioning look, but Hermione just shook her head and went back to work.

After the first hour and a half, her potion had turned the smooth, black color it was meant to be and she started stirring it counter clockwise. As she did, she glanced around the room at everyone else. They were all still deep in their potions; Neville's already turning the wrong color. Lavender let out a squeal as it began to bubble yellow and overflow right into her lap since she was next to him.

Snape looked up from where he sat and gave a frustrated sigh. He rose to go to Neville when Dean suddenly yelled, "Get down!"

As everyone hit the floor, Neville's potion exploded on the spot and yellow gunk flew everywhere in the classroom, a lot of it hitting Snape in the chest as he had been the only one to remain standing. Once Neville's cauldron had settled, the class slowly got back to their feet, the Slytherins glaring at him and the Gryffindors offering him comforting smiles.

"Mr. Longbottom," Snape said tensely. "Why is it that you can never keep your potion _in_ cauldron?"

Neville grew even redder than Ron had ever been. "I-I'm sorry, Professor," he said quietly. "I-I must n-not have d—"

"Done it right?" Snape finished. "Yes, well that is clear. Detention, Mr. Longbottom. Be here tonight at eight. And bring your scales. You will do this potion until it is right."

Neville just nodded.

"What was that?" Snape said.

"Y-yes, sir."

"Good." Snape waved his wand and the potion vanished from his robes and the room. "Everyone else, back to work. There is still fifteen minutes of class left."

The class returned to their potions at once and Hermione went back to stirring. Harry's potion was the same color as her's by now and she figured he's just done everything she had after she'd done it, but she didn't mind. She was used to it by now. After a couple more minutes, her potion was clear and she ladled some into a vial. She corked it and then waiting until Snape called them all up for their potions.

Not five minutes later, he told them to bring him their Draughts. Hermione took Harry's and brought them both up to Snape. She set them down and he didn't even bother looking at her. She turned to go back to her seat and found herself face to face with Malfoy.

Her breath caught in her throat and he smirked. "Don't worry, Mudblood," he said in a low voice. "I won't do anything to you until detention." Then he brushed by her and she nearly lost her balance. Luckily, Dean was there to catch her.

"You alright, Mione?" he asked concerned.

"Wh-yeah. Sorry, Dean. Didn't mean to fall into you," she said with a forced smile.

He grinned. "No worries, Mione." He set her firmly on her feet and the two went back to their perspective tables.

"Did Malfoy do something to you?" Harry asked her quietly as they packed up their cauldrons.

She shook her head. "Malfoy's always saying something to someone," she said vaguely. "I'm fine." The bell rang. "Come on. Don't want to be late for Transfigurations."

He just nodded but didn't look convinced.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Just want to say thank you to all the people who are reviewing my stories or just reading them! I'm so glad you enjoy them so much! Oh, and just so you now Statua really does mean statue in Latin.**

Hermione watched as Malfoy sat down in the back of the classroom and then she sat in the front with Dean. She didn't know why he was freaking her out so much. Normally, he didn't frighten her this much. Maybe it was just because he'd chased her. And the fact that she had no idea how he had planned to teach her the lesson he's mentioned. She blinked away the thought. She didn't even want to think about that.

"Today, class, you will be learning how to turn a goblet into a statue. Now the incantation is very simple. _Statua,_" McGonagall told the class. "All you need to do is point your want at you goblet, execute a effortless swish, and if you said the incantation right, you with have a very small statue in front of you. Be careful, though. Once or twice a student was accidentally turned into a statue and that is harder to undo than _Petrificus Totalus._"

A ripple of nervous laughter swept over the class and they all turned to their goblets and began their attempts to change them into statues. Almost instantly, Hermione had a beautiful Grecian statue in front of her.

"Very good, Miss Granger," McGonagall praised. "Ten points to Gryffindor. And another ten if you can name which goddess you transfigured you goblet into."

Hermione paused and felt the room grow silent. It didn't bother her, though. She was used to the room going quiet whenever she was asked a question. Hermione turned to the statue before her and took in the long Grecian gown, the flowers in her hair, the far away and almost insane lok in her eyes, and the lyre broken on the ground beside her. Hermione looked back at the teacher and smiled.

"It's not a goddess. It's a muggle. Her name is Cassandra. The crazy look in her eyes signifies the fact that many considered her insane. The broken lyre represents how she rejected the god, Apollo, after he gave her the gift of prophecy and offered her his love. That rejection is why no one thought she was sane. He cursed her to never be believed since she didn't love him back."

The Gryffindors in the room cheered as McGonagall smiled. "That is absolutely correct, Miss Granger. _Fifteen_ points for getting it right _and_ not being fooled by me."

Dean hugged Hermione tightly from the side and she laughed as McGonagall walked away. "Yay, Hermione!" he joked.

Hermione smiled. "Why, thank you, Dean," she quipped before helping him turn his goblet into a statue.

Hermione and Dean both jumped as something stony and stiff hit the floor from somewhere behind them. They spun around along with most of the class and saw Neville lying on the ground, stone-like and stone-white.

"Neville!" McGonagall exclaimed hurrying over to the rock hard boy. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Finnegan," she said waving the two over. They hurried from their places to Neville and helped the teacher lift him from the ground, setting him on his feet. McGonagall sighed. "The poor boy turned himself to stone," she said, shaking her head. "All of you, continue working on the lesson while I levitate Mr. Longbottom to the Hospital Wing." She licked her wand and Neville rose into the air and floated behind her and out of the room.

A cackle escaped the Slytherin side of the room once she was gone.

"What are you laughing at, Malfoy?" Ron said.

Malfoy smirked. "The old hag really thought the idiot had turned himself to stone!" Blaise high-fived him and the two laughed with the others of their house.

"_You _did that?" Hermione asked aghast, her fear from yesterday temporarily fading away.

"Who else, Mudblood? That idiot wouldn't even be able to turn his goblet into a statue, do you really think he could turn _himself_ into one? Not bloody likely."

"Don't call her 'Mudblood'," Ron told him, raising his wand for the second time.

"Oooh, look out, Draco," Blaise joked. "Weasley's got his wand out. He's going to—oh wait. All he can do is screw up his spells and make them backfire. Hmm, carry on," Blaise said, smiling.

"That was practically four years ago," Harry said. "Get over it, Zabini."

"Hey, everyone, the walking scar talks!" Malfoy shouted causing another round of laughs to come from the Slytherins.

"Is that the best you have, Ferret?" Harry shot back.

"That was practically two years ago. Get over it," Zabini said, mimicking Harry.

"_Expelliarmus!"_ Harry shouted at Blaise, whipping out his wand. The Slytherin shot backward and hit the wall hard, sliding down to the ground.

He growled. "You'll pay for that, Potter." He raised his wand to Harry.

"Enough!" McGonagall cried, sweeping back into the room. She glared at both boys. "Five points from both of you for using magic on one another. And don't say a word, Mr. Zabini, had I not gotten here in time, you would've cast a spell on him as well," she added, pointing at Zabini when he opened his mouth to speak. "Now, all of you, sit!"

Everyone immediately obeyed and the class resumed, this time more edgy than before.

**A/N: I know this one was shorter than that rest but I ran out of words. The next chapter should be longer because…dun, dun, dun----detention will be served!!!**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Lots and lots of thank you's to all those who reviewed my stories! I love you!

Hermione stood outside the History of Magic classroom a long while later, once again nervous beyond belief to enter the room. This time she was there almost a half hour early, hoping she could go in and gather her bearings before Malfoy got there. She knocked twice on the door and Binns allowed her entrance. She went inside and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Malfoy wasn't there.

"Ah, Miss Granger, why are you here so early?" Binns asked from where he floated behind the desk.

She thought quickly. "Well, skipping most of last night's detention made me feel guilty so I decided I should spend a bit more time in here tonight." It wasn't a total lie. She did feel guilty, but she'd only left because she'd been scared out of her mind by Malfoy.

Binns nodded. "Very noble of you. Why don't you have a seat and go over your lines while we wait for your partner?"

Hermione nodded and sat down at the table toward the front of the room, pulling out her book and opening it to page 38. But not two minutes later, the ghost interrupted her thoughts.

"Pardon me, Miss Granger, but did you and Mr. Malfoy get anything done last night? I remembered I hadn't asked you yet."

"A bit. Malfoy agreed to be in charge of costumes and we planned on going to get them in Hogsmeade this weekend. Scenery, we hadn't spoken of and then…well that was when we left. We'd…gotten into an argument," she explained vaguely at his questioning look.

"Might I ask what this argument was about?"

"Well…about working together, really."

"Miss Granger, you of all people should be able to put your personal feelings aside for an assignment. I know you would feel terrible if you failed my class simply because you and Mr. Malfoy couldn't find time out of your day to agree on something."

"We agreed on the costumes," she offered weakly, knowing it was a feeble attempt even as she said it.

"And yet you both still ended up in an argument. I think, for the benefit of both of you, you might have to come here each night to work on the assignment, otherwise you'll never get it done."

"B-but, Professor," Hermione stammered trying to come up with a way out of it. "That's not fair to you, having Malfoy and I intrude on your time like that."

"Well, until I see some improvement on your attitude toward one another, I think I will just have to suffer."

At that moment, the door opened and Malfoy walked in in all his smirking glory. Binns rose. "And," he said to Hermione, "you have the pleasure of explaining that to your partner while I go grab a book on Shakespeare from the library. I will return in a few moments and I expect you both to be civil by then." With that, he floated by Malfoy and Hermione was left with the same feeling she had last night, right after Binns had gone.

Malfoy rounded on Hermione. "What the bloody hell did you do?"

"Nothing!" she said indignantly. "I came in, sat down, and the next thing I know, Professor Binns is threatening us!"

Malfoy sat down across from her. "Threatening us with what?" he asked slowly, anger in his eyes.

She moved her chair away from the table a bit, to put a little more distance between them. "He said, if you and I cannot be civil to one another long enough to complete our project, than he will have us come here for a sort of detention every night, just to get us to work on the project."

"What? He wants to subject me to Mudblood presence every night just for a grade?"

"It's an important grad!" Hermione countered, letting the insult slide. "Considering we normally only take notes in this class, having a project is going to do a lot for our final marks."

"It's just Romeo and Juliet, Granger," Malfoy told her, almost wearily.

"Have you ever actually read Romeo and Juliet?" she asked him.

"If I profane with my unworthiest hand/ This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this," he recited point blank.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "That's from our scene," she stated. "You probably just read over it last night."

"Oh, I did," he told her. "But my mother was very big on Shakespeare and he was her version of a fun bedtime story to tell to a three year old."

Hermione held back a giggle. Picturing Draco Malfoy as a little tiny blonde boy and being read Romeo and Juliet by his mother was a funny image.

"Shove off, Granger," he said. "I don't want to be stuck in this room with you every single night. I'll do the project, fine, but I want to do I on my own time, not Binns'."

"Then we're agreed," she said. "We'll fake niceties around him and then go back to our usual hate once he's gone."

"Agreed."

"And what about the project? When will we work on it?"

"When I feel like it."

She glared at him and he rolled his eyes. "How about this weekend? We'll get the costumes and then once we get back to the castle, we'll meet in the library," he proposed.

She nodded. "Alright, sounds good. We'll just have to suffer through tonight and then—"

"—we don't have to talk until Saturday," he finished. "Deal."

"It better be," she muttered, scooting her chair back to the table.

"What did you say, Mu-Granger?" His voice changed at the end, from menacing to strained kindness.

She looked up and saw Binns had just glided back into the room, a book firmly in his grasp. She almost laughed at the irony of it.

"I said, why don't we try working on the first half of our scene tonight and then do a bit of scenery?" she improvised, answering his question in a way that Binns wouldn't know what he'd actually meant by it. It wasn't like her to cover for Malfoy, but if it was to save her grade, she'd do it in a heartbeat.

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"I see you two have taken my advice," Binns said smiling.

Malfoy shrugged. "Considering Romeo and Juliet is a romance, it did make sense to us," he agreed, trying to keep the disdain from his voice. He saw Granger nod her head and he wondered whether or not ir would fall of from how vehemently she was doing it.

"And we've agreed to set up a time to work on the project," she added.

"Good, good. Then, am I to trust that I do not have to watch over you tonight?"

"Where are you going?"

"Well, I passed Nearly Headless Nick in the hall and we started talking and he asked my help on a problem of his. It involves something in his past that he cannot entirely recall and, being a ghost myself, he thought I could be helpful. But I had to tell him I could not assist him because I had to watch you both."

"Oh, poor Nick!" Hermione cried and Malfoy shook his head. Did she have to care about everyone so much? "Professor, go ahead and help him. Malfoy and I will be fine, right?"

It took him a minute, but Malfoy realized she was talking to him. "Yeah, we'll be fine," he told Binns.

Binns smiled. "Good. Thank you. Nick did seem to need someone to talk to. You may leave once ten o'clock rolls around," he told them, before sweeping out of the room.

The second he was gone, Malfoy turned to her. "You need a hobby," he said flatly.

"What?"

"You care too much." He pulled out his playbook and turned to the right page.

"Well, at least I have a heart to care with."

He smirked, noticing she seemed braver than she had last night. He stood and went around the table, sitting on the edge right next to her. "Where do we start?" he asked her, looking at the book. "Wait, never mind. We start at the part I recited earlier." She just nodded. "Do we have to act it out too?"

"I think so. We'll have to eventually. Might as well get it right now." She stood as well and leaned against the table. "You first," she said.

"If I profane with my unworthiest hand/ This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this," he repeated. "My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand/ To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much/ Which mannerly devotion shows in this/ For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch/ And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss," Hermione said, reading from the book.

"Give me your hand," Malfoy told her.

"Why?"

"Because, if you read it, she's saying that when they touch hands it is as if the hands are sharing a kiss the same way lips would. So, I need your hand for that," he explained, trying not to sound frustrated. He would've thought she'd have known that.

"Oh, right." She set down the book and held out her hands to him. Like him, it seemed she knew enough of the play to be able to not have to read straight from it. He set his aside and took her hands in his. "Careful," she quipped. "Don't want to get dirt on you."

He sneered and squeezed her hand a bit too tightly. "Just say that last two lines again," he ordered.

"For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch/ And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss," she said again and Malfoy released the pressure on her hands so it was more like he was caressing them, than holding them.

He'd expected himself to feel repulsed to be touching her in such a way, even though it was only her hands. But, he wasn't. In fact…he felt…warm toward her.

He shoved the thought away and recited his next line. "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers, too?"

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer," she said, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do/ They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." He looked down on her, an act he normally took pleasure in, but this time his gut was filled with something he couldn't even put a name to.

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." Despite her words, Malfoy found himself taking a step toward her…and saw she was doing the same.

"Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take/ Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." He leaned toward her, for some reason unable to help him, and placed a soft hand until her chin, tilting her head toward him. She didn't resist either, and rose onto her tiptoes to meet him. The distance was quickly closing between them and he couldn't think straight. He felt her breath on his lips and his mouth almost found her's. He felt her lips barely brush his when—

**A/N: I'm sorry! I'm mean but I'm mean with love!!!**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers! Sorry I made the last chapter a cliff-hanger but it was just too good to pass up! I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

"Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, my dears," Nick sobbed as he floated into the room.

Malfoy and Hermione jumped apart and Malfoy shook his head. What had he almost done?

Hermione seemed to recover faster and she smoothed her skirt before turning to the ghost. "No interruption," she said kindly, walking over to him while blushing furiously. To Malfoy, it seemed like she just wanted to get away from him. "We were just rehearsing for our class. What's wrong, Nick?"

"I-I'm looking for Binns," he said, sitting down at one of the desks as best a ghost could.

Hermione gave him a kind smile. "He went to find you. He knew you needed to talk."

"Oh," he sobbed.

"Here, why don't you talk to me in the meantime?"

"I don't know if you can help."

"Maybe I can. What is it?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes an sat back down, grabbing his book and allowing Hermione to go back to her annoyingly caring ways. He looked down at the pages and tried to focus on the words, but he couldn't seem to.

_What just happened?_ he thought silently.

_**Rehearsal, nimrod,**_a second voice told him.

_I know it was rehearsal,_ he shot back. _But it didn't feel like rehearsal. It felt real. And she's a Mudblood!_

_**You must've really been into your character, then. Nothing else could explain it.**_

_I bet you're right. Mother's been reading me this stuff since I was a kid. She even got Father into it. I guess all those years of Shakespeare just got into me._

**Romeo and Juliet **_**was her favorite,**_ the voice agreed. _**Just be glad that dolt of a teacher didn't give you the another scene that was worse.**_

_What could be worse?_ he scoffed.

_**He could've made you do the scene where Romeo and Juliet are in bed together.**_

_Shakespeare didn't write that scene out!_

_**Binns could've had you do your own take on it. Or what about the morning after? That **_**was**_** in the play.**_

_Okay, stop thinking that right now! Having to kiss Granger is bad enough. I don't even want to think of anything else!_

The voice laughed in his mind. _**Sorry, just trying to make the kiss seem less terrible. The sooner you both get it over with, the better.**_

_I couldn't agree more._

_**Why don't you say something really insulting to her? That will knock the sense back into you.**_

_I haven't lost my sense!_

_**No, but you were afraid what you felt while you were acting was real.**_

_I'm a Malfoy—we don't get afraid._

_**You know what I mean. Now, just insult her already and let's be done with it!**_

_Should I do it in front of the ghost or wait until he's gone,_ Malfoy inquired, shooting a look at the still bubbling spirit.

_**Wait, until he's gone. With any luck, you can scare her just as badly as you did last night!**_

Malfoy sniggered.

_**And after that, you might want to have a word with your Godfather. Just to leave nothing to chance.**_

_I'm not that far gone! Alright, Binns is coming back. Once he's gone and he takes that damn ghost with him, I'll say something. Until then, go!_

_**Fine, fine…**_

"Oh, Nick, I've been looking for you," Binns said as he approached Hermione and Nick.

"I've been trying to comfort him but he really needs you, Professor," she said.

He nodded. "I'll take it from here then. Thank you, Miss Granger." He helped Nick to his feet and they started to leave the room.

"T-thank you, Hermione," Nick blubbered.

She smiled and turned back to Malfoy when they had gone.

"Merlin, Granger, I was thinking that idiot would never leave!" he spat, not yet doing his worst.

"Oh, be quiet." She walked back to the table. "No wonder everyone's always running away from you. You're mean to those you don't even know."

"I happen to like it when people run from me. Why do you think I took my time chasing you last night?" He smirked.

To his surprise, she didn't glare at him and instead, fixed him with a look of confusion. "Why did you do that, anyway? All I did was slap you."

"You make it sound like it was nothing."

"It was nothing. I mean, I slapped you three years ago and you didn't do a thing to me." Realization dawned in her eyes. "Oh, was that because I had Harry and Ron with me? Well, you had two friends with you too, but I had the Boy-Who-Lived on my side." She laughed. "No wonder you ran for the hills."

Anger boiled inside Malfoy. _**I said insult HER!**_ the second voice yelled in his mind. _Piss off! _he retorted. "Potter doesn't frighten me," he told her. "I've never run from a fight with him. Actually, if I remember correctly, he's normally the one running from me. Thanks in large part to you being against fighting. Quite the little hypocrite, aren't you?"

"And just what were you intending to do to me last night, then?" she countered.

He smirked. "Don't get your hopes up, Mudblood. It wouldn't have been that. I wouldn't want to risk getting covered in mud, now would I?"

The clock in the room chimed ten and Hermione packed her bags and stood. "You might want to think about something, Malfoy," she said turning to him.

"And that is?"

"That even if I am a Mudblood, at least I'm a Mudblood with people to love and who love me. That's the one I know you don't have. And at this rate? You never will." She turned on her heel and left.


End file.
